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Shoot: Just Kids

Lesson 16 from: Family Portraits

Michele Celentano

Shoot: Just Kids

Lesson 16 from: Family Portraits

Michele Celentano

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Lesson Info

16. Shoot: Just Kids

Lesson Info

Shoot: Just Kids

honestly we are shooting in the absolute worst time of day and so ah the backyard was no longer offering us any open shade or an area where it could really work it's a beautiful backyard the late we talked about earlier this morning the beautiful backyard doesn't always make for the best uh background so here in the front of house have a lot more texture I have little areas I have nooks I have areas are actually right now providing covered shade so I pull the crew back out here because I just really like this area and I feel like there's so much more I can do out in this front area without having to worry about that direct overhead light outside so um if we have any are some of the kids ready to go I'm going to be shooting in this direction this little pathway is it's like gold to me here it is an open shade there's two opposing rocks the one we use earlier that posing rock here in the front I use earlier but going in that direction towards the driveway where is now going to be going i...

n that direction towards the wall and uh those I don't know what is that plant call does anybody know that big tall weeping wheat plant like that what is it pompous grass like how I almost said something else okay um but we had like if you just look you can see the light that is on top of the foliage here in this area and the open shade that we have mrs such a great area we can do so much with it my rock stars here you've been onboard the whole time haven't you you do you like photography yes or no well kind of yeah because you've been like paying attention to us so fix your hair dude fix your hair a go fix it all right I think I love you man all right so let's start with tosca because we haven't done anything with just toss so have we good do is good all right man see that little flat rock right in there not that one the next one down the path over there yeah let's see what happens if you sit on that rock for me yep uh sit on it all right so using our reflector because the light is all the way up over here and while he's you yeah you're fine these unless you have pollen in your blood that he's probably not gonna bother you you have paul in here but I won't when he gets his head turned my camera yes absolutely what's that oh okay people driving up really no okay good all right so I'm gonna have one of my handy assistance come over here and whoa that's way too much light but if you come in this area I'm gonna have you yeah it's okay just go this way if you come in from the side you'll catch a little bit of the light and you'll get it right on his face without it being too much get in a little closer hop up on that rock there you go and then angle it this way towards him the other way give me just a little bit you're gonna catch it you're gonna catch it you're gonna catch it it's on me get down a little lower a little bit angle angle angle attack of the bush alright so from here we're gonna work that reflector so you get a little bit of light in his eyes I'm gonna come down here a little bit more if you're forty three I'd marry you I'm just saying but you've got a long way to go huh no yeah what about me if I was five would you marry me no me what what what's that alright so I'm actually going to re white balance while we're out here um we did change settings and immense of re white balance on the brake but I did not get a chance so we'll do it right now I'm gonna take out my little disk my little spider cuban gonna hold it right up to my lens getting a full view of it it's completely out of focus we're gonna hit menu custom white balance select that image okay we're white balance here we go that's it buddy okay seriously and don't forget to put your camera back in auto focus if you're going to be using auto focus okay so can you sit like with one leg under the other like this yep and then swing that leg all the way underneath your butt and sit on it a little bit more slight swing it around the other way yeah like like this yeah yeah that'll work beautiful awesome caso all this foliage is stunning how are we looking oh look look at me I heart yu right here man you like whenever till your head with me this way just a little bit look look go with me don't you giggle let me see serious face I am a serious face let me see your mad face awesome let me see your happy face I see your sad face oh oh e funny ah some here you go um if we're able to bring that image up oh it's this location is so beautiful and she's getting just a tiny drop of light actually might have you come this way a little bit more I'm sorry christine um and it's just even turned the white side turning around there you go whiteside you ah look at that whoa lean this way a little attitude ah attitude from a five year old little ladies may okay so do you um you know that song I don't know I don't know how it goes but I'm photographing a little boy and his sister and little boy is four and his sister six and I'm photographing his sister and I've got to do in this little dance and from behind me out of this little four year old's mouth I hear sixty laid a look the funny thing was like a little tiny voice is like a sexy later right around like no good thing ever all right come on over boys you stay there don't move because you're just like amazing but this is beautiful this this is great so I know you guys can see we're doing but this uh plant here in the front is gorgeous foreground he has the perfect posing props stool he's got background we've got light on the foliage we got every single element that I talked about yesterday in this little tiny spot color texture depth and amazing little model right we had a little reflector opposing stool okay so idea you're gonna go sit right behind him you stay right where you are and come out a little more to the edge of the stool and now I want you to turn your body toward your brother and lean over shoulder yeah oh oh my gosh two brothers uh that dudes awesome alright switch places switch places I don't even know look at that that I did I get it oh thanks buddy I actually don't think I did but okay so that's it ah dre let your legs got a little further so your knees aren't quite so high lift up out of your chest now lean over him hold on to him he's cute man look at him awesome no no no okay so let's see if you could hop over to the other side of that rock there's like probably little space in there yeah I go all the way over that side of the rock that's it keep going oh is it yep and get your knee in there so you come right around your brother shoulder hot both knees down yeah that's gonna hurt a little bit okay awesome lean over your brother's shoulder yes now you know the deal get in nice and tight okay but up a little higher right straight beautiful ah boys yes and I'm still able just lean together a little bit more squeeze hold it dude who you looking at what's her name's penelope priscilla pretty girl what's her name his girlfriend oh phoebe oh yeah phoebe like from friends you don't even know that show to you again I'm dating myself alright lift up she's seven was that yep yep I got it I just want to make sure I'm shooting images for the family here we go forward okay all right how you guys doing good all right just lose your hand back andres back get a little taller and twist your body to me a little bit more that's it so shift your hips back ah ha I do that lot whoa yeah much better there you go okay so lean this way I love your name here we go still busy still busy that's all right but this I'm just so you guys at home are getting a good view of what's going on here foreground middle ground background guys look good okay everybody step out do we have ah yeah you too oh now you want to be a star and if we have a couple of the girls that would be great we're good yes we are yeah I all right here we go so let's do this uh dre let's have you go right back in that spot knowing I'd have you do though I'm gonna have you sit on the ground using the rock as a uh like a wall uh huh so just to change it up a little bit so using the same spot in a slightly different way um took that for front leg underneath exactly bring it beautiful now I want you to twist towards me a little bit more great and go ahead and let's see if their arm yes ha role that shoulder back just a little bit more you see what I'm saying yeah okay and let let the elbow comes straight out there you go so his shoulder pulled to back it was like really rip it on his shoulder was pulled back too far dude that is juke you all the way okay let's get a little light and him and the best place to probably bring that is gonna be from over here sorry I know you get the hard part wish you see it right here right there boom little white reflector with director rex on you want to use the white because if we use the silver then we're gonna have a whole bunch of that which is it's not bad but look what happens his eyes but here we have the soft light and look at the catch light in his eye I don't know if the camera consuming it was I that would be great so you have dark eyes catch light in his eyes beautiful isn't that nationalized better than any flash any day of the week did you get it okay so there we go look look straight at my camera got lightning eyes no light in the eyes lighten eyes no light it's like magic okay see ah some let that hand just lean out over your need perfect this is to me is gonna be a horizontal image you're gonna sit up a little bit taller for me that's it yes turn your face to me just a drop I'm gonna zoom in just a little bit oh my gosh I love it okay so now I'm gonna tell my camera just a little bit you're gonna tell you have backing me just a drop relax that shoulder well actually shoulder that's on the rock beautiful oh turn your face this way just a little bit more I've got to almost two thirds view his face just a drop more yes right there is I can see a little bit of his ear it's almost a full two thirds I'm gonna go this way just one drop and now I have a full two third viewers face total attitude awesome look I love it dude this is like your high school senior portrait right here that's it perfect hold it right there that's it stay right there I'm gonna add a sister into that I love it okay who wants to go who wants to be with dre okay I got two all right gabby you come first and then surely you'll be next so let that need drop all the way she's going to sit right on that leg he's gonna hurt on your hip honey sit on your hip yep and go this way just a little bit is it hurt okay then let's just lean in your brother this way so lean on him that's it lean over her shoulder just a little bit a little bit more squeezed together just to drop okay so what I want you to do is turn this way a little bit more with your legs gabby you got it let your legs go down a little bit more that's it scoot your touchdown just to drop keep going keep going that's it now lean and him with your shoulder that's it heads together perfect and let your hand go on your knee beautiful heads a little closer together ha ha yes I love it I love this background it's so awesome you guys are too cute um gabby relax that arm a little bit so like lean on your brother honey put your hand on his leg the other hand the other hand ah yes that's it now she looks a little bit more relaxed perfect awesome every squeezing in just a little bit is this your favorite brother not so much huh okay ah silly silly and sally sally come on let's go so that's two right here in this spot so we're using this air you're fine go honey go ahead and jump right in and so we use in this spot um for again I'm just gonna say one hundred times texture direction of light right um we have awesome reflector and oh oh sweetie that's so cute you know what I want you to do that I'm gonna have you do something different on have you go and step around dre and have you lean over his shoulder and you know what let's use the cast yes come over that shoulder so lean over that shoulder his other shoulder his other shoulder there you go get up nice and tall come a little closer to him wrap your arms around him and get your job writes his temple you got to get something okay up a little higher a little higher till your head this way ah there we go and right now we are highlighting the fantastic pink cast with all of her friends writing on it did everybody write something nice to you get up a little bit higher silly up a little higher right relax away from him just to drop that's it now till your head's him I'm gonna come in I'm just gonna I know just give me one second in there guys that's what I want okay every once in a while you just gotta go in and move ahead oh yes uh gord isn't dres all serious chin up just little bit great when you're face to her just a drop a bit more bit more ha ha whoa oh su lee what is that face that's not the silly face I know not that one no not that one not that one let me see mad okay I think I just blew some snot in my nose on that one all right stay right there okay ah jordi come on in jordan so in this situation I'm just talking about building in this location with uh dre on the floor now we've got silly on the other side georgie you're and go around the other side and lean over his knee so both knees are going to come to the ground and you gonna lean on your brother's arm right there oh good job thanks honey yep that'll work and lean on his arms yeah get nice and close orlean one on on there and one arm kind of closer to your sister that's it and put the arm around your sister that's it now lean in okay sully up a little higher georgie go this way just a wee bit more keep going keep going keep going keep going and relax your arm that's it silly get up higher that's it and everybody pushed back towards georgie a little bit there you go and georgie lean into your brother just a bit more and towards me don't be shy I get close to her get close get close yea so a year so silly coming this way towards me a little bit silly so yeah you're leaning on your brother too much there you go I know you love him but I need you to sit up nice and tall so you're gonna go this way and just lean up right here now you're gonna lead together hide that arm back there for me there you go now yet enclosed squeeze this way okay sorry guys okay yeah there we go now squeeze together georgie back shoulder towards me just a little bit back shoulder that's it now lean together from your head's lean in ha oh it is gorgeous out of three okay silly relax that arm your elbows up too high put it down a little lower that's it huh I do that a lot don't I yeah no okay all right where is ah gabby come on in the middle where you were sitting before so instead of sitting on his leg you're gonna put your tuition that little space right before his leg good ok that'll work yep that'll work ok jordi leaning over dirty leaning over his shoulder this way um tray bring your hand down around your sister's back so I can't see it so much hide it hide it behind her that's it okay gabby but I need you back up this way girls leaning over so yep gabby lean back a little bit jordi lean over her shoulder hold on your brother's me so when we bring the hands in and around the body it connects the the family members so sometimes the hands are back here it leaks one person in the backfield disconnected so we bring the hands in so that connects people altogether beautiful now everybody lean together squeezing in ah yes I love all the hand squeeze everybody give ok give your brother and sister in the front a big hug put your arms all the way around them all the way yes uh oh you know mom's gonna love that picture of perfect jordi come on lean your chin right over their heads getting closer getting closer towards me come towards me you got it you got it that's perfect perfect and every time I'm doing that it's because I'm trying to get their chins closer bringing the chin the nose on the same plane right I mean we're a five point o here which is fine because the texture here is so beautiful and I don't have to really worry about it but okay you guys can take a break so using this spot using this spot um aaron I'm put you in the hot spot um I want you to work with tatiana jordy gabby and isaiah she's your poser she's your poza there you go all right and who else do we have we have someone else sully come on girly where's were tassel go do you have trouble finding each other home and does your mom like forget your names and go like dad about it and like she has to get through five names before she gets to you yeah okay uh my grandmother used to do that all the time and it was only three grandkids I do that with my daughter start column and dogs names my great dude reading anna yeah ok so go ahead go all right let's start with isaiah um okay why don't we have you come in and have a seat right here right at the edge and then kind of lean out good nice that looks great he does look a comeback here let's see if you can do it all from back here telling where you want to go all right um tatiana why don't you come in and see if you can kneel right behind him up on the rock a little bit get both your knees on there and then lean right over him your confidence is growing I'm feeling thiss morning you are a wreck now you just leave it and get your knees right up there beautiful all right georgie come on as if you want teo it's lean right over his other shoulder sorry no right around the other side you were doing great perfect right over there yeah squeeze right up next and lean over shoulder beautiful years you're looking great um all right gabby come on in and why don't you stand right next to jordi let's see what that's gonna look like um can you kind of get down on one knee and lean in nice and close and great that looks beautiful and ah silly right come on in and what yeah and I have neil diamond in my head tio come sit down right on the ground see if you can sit on your knees right there up a little bit higher on your knees maybe and tuck your feet kind of back behind his legs scoot right in there and girls if you want to kind of lean up lean in there you go heads together you know not bad right but here we have a couple of little issues so gabby is a little too far back abby lean forward a little bit more that's it and jordy come this way a little bit to your right between the two of them see how now she's leaning over and then tatiana I want you to separate your knees behind your brother just a little bit and so bring one knee closer to me on this side see how I just moved her whole body and just a little bit release both your hands hold onto his arm on this side and his elbow okay georgie going this way a little bit put your arm around gabby's shoulder right there lean all the way in and then ah sully I need you to get a little bit lower that's it and lean this way just to drop okay turn your face to me everybody squeeze in tight together in a little tighter little tiger that's pretty good see how we just adjusted a few little things coming to you live from beta house mansion it's taso what do you have to say man suit gray days a great day you want tell us about the weather well we're doing her photo shoot says my mom and waiting to make a movie for for our whole family oh no the camera dude was right there come on say it loud and proud man um this is my mom my mom keeps trying to make a movie for us um for a whole family um are you having fun today yes I I'm having fun in um do you want to do another pose um um I hope I hope we um on monday we're going to go to seattle right so when we talk about seattle later that was awesome awesome can you jump in that family portrait right there coming to you live from bear mansion taso look at him okay I want you to come oh you know what beautiful back up just a little bit more back up back up slowly come to your knees I know it hurts I know I'm sorry every squeeze together this is the last shot right here in this spot to eat we don't have everybody doing who are we missing are they around uh let's make away from this get in here I need everybody but in the meantime everybody squeeze in and then we'll get everybody in this picture all the kids I love it okay tatiana lean over just a little bit there you go georgie up a little higher lean over towards me as my little ladies men broadcaster of the year tough so all right here we go dre come on in you're gonna go right behind jordan georgie I'm sorry she's laughing at me hop right in there let's see is a baby up evie noodles here we go we're gonna lead over shoulder this way so bring your foot closer to gabby that's it nice and tall leading bring that foot closer to gabby that's it hold on to gabby's are right there connection connection we need arms together I got space for two kids right here no baby your baby okay go right there right in front of gabby right in front of gabby go noodles go noodles get your game on I'm dancing for you there you go sit right on your knees sweetheart I know it's gonna be a little hard go ahead squeeze right in there that's it perfect pull your skirt down you got it okay okay evie's gonna go right there listen ta so I need you buddy look at me leave me right here I need you you're gonna hold baby up okay or either that or we can put her on isaiah's knee yeah okay all the kids wanna hold evie is our last one for the day right there is the grand finale all nine children too together okay don't let her block your face okay sweetie all right I need somebody you're gonna be right over my shoulder yellin for everybody put your hands down so I don't see her hands in front of someone's face trey jordan lean over just a little bit what no no no no no no no no put your knees together girl look at me so look at me what sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry okay um usually go this way just a little bit peekaboo big pool where's mom oh there you are okay right over here okay drew of allah tray up a little higher a little higher right there e I know you how you doing oh my god she looks so mad right out okay castle right there buddy wait here we go okay no no no no no don't put your hands on your left hand or your left hand or your left yeah there you go thank you okay so theo I'm going this way just a little bit make sure I can see you know your back hurts remember lower those hips that's it okay everybody everybody everybody everybody say one two three we're almost out of almost way you take a bite of her feet there you are I just everybody look at me everybody looked at every call or call me a s um well not a rab really is a four o'clock you gotta be kidding me seriously this is the most amazing everybody come over here I need some big problem one one more thing first you gotta get me some hugs I need love from all these you were awesome wow all of you amazing kids that is today right up here man you're adorable did you get me on okay here you go uh I love you man you got it you want to say something okay great alright good work everybody awesome work

Class Materials

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Ratings and Reviews

Beckie Sibley
 

Michele is a true artist in every sense of the word. While her photography skills are exceptional, it is her ability to work with families that absolutely had me mesmerized. She is a natural with people of all ages. Her teaching style is second to none. I especially appreciate that she had the CreativeLIve attendees jump in to pose the first family. With many of these courses, I find myself feeling completely inadequate because the instructors make it look super easy. When the student photographers worked with the family, they represented ME. This was such an encouragement. I also was thrilled that the second family was more of a challenge as it showcased Michele's talents perfectly. The business section was insightful and inspirational. I cannot say enough wonderful things about this course. It was a deal at $129. Thank you CreativeLive! And thank YOU, Michele. You are the best of the best.

Beckie Sibley
 

Michele is a true artist in every sense of the word. While her photography skills are exceptional, it is her ability to connect with families that absolutely had me mesmerized. She is a natural with people of all ages. Her teaching style is second to none. I especially appreciate that she had the CreativeLIve attendees the first family. With many of these courses, I find myself feeling completely inadequate because the instructors make it look super easy. When the student photographers worked with the family, they represented ME. This was such an encouragement. I also was thrilled that the second family was more of a challenge as it showcased Michele's talents perfectly. The business section was insightful and inspirational. I cannot say enough wonderful things about this course. It was a deal at $129. Thank you CreativeLive! And thank YOU, Michele. You are the best of the best.

Courtney Zito
 

I love this class! I am transitioning from film & television to photography, specifically children and families, and this class is wonderful! I am only on Day 1, class 6 (The art of posing) and I have learned so much that I have already applied to my own photography. If you're like me, you have come across other's photos and thought "meh", and then you come across some and you are like "wow!". What is the difference? Well there are many factors that make a great portrait, but one aspect I hadn't spent as much time thinking about was posing. You don't think about how important posing is until you see it in action here. I am looking forward to the rest of this series and soaking up all of her experience and knowledge. She's cute and quirky, and very organized in her teaching. Thank you Michele, great class!

Student Work

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